Morticia's Shadow
by Broadway Wednesday
Summary: Wednesday has been following her mother around all day. Gomez and Morticia want to know why.


**a/n: Hi all. Sorry I haven't update any of my stories for a while, I have been trapped in the land of exams. But I'm free now.  
****I didn't mean to write this, it just sort of happened. It's set just before the episode _My Son, the Chimp_.  
I will be updating _Where Did We Go Wrong_ soon-ish, I'm just a little stuck on it right now. If any of you have any thought as to what Wednesday and Lucas might have a fight about please feel free to PM me, or let me know in a review. It would be greatly appreciated.  
DISCLAIMER: I don't own _The Addams Family_, if I did _Halloween With The New Addams Family_ would be very different.  
Please read and enjoy. **

Wednesday had been following her mother around all afternoon. Morticia had noticed but said nothing, as it didn't really bother her, nor did she see any reason why her daughter _couldn't_ follow her around.

Morticia was feeding her plants, she moved onto Cleopatra, "Good afternoon Cleopatra," she addressed the plant.  
In response, Cleopatra wrapped herself around Morticia.  
"Now, now," said Morticia in a reprimanding tone, "let mother feed you."  
The plant released her and waited eagerly for the bizarre meat product she was about to receive. Morticia did not disappoint, she brandished a bowl of zebra burger, to which the plant responded happily.  
"Wednesday?" Morticia called to her daughter, who was standing back by the door.  
The girl perked up upon hearing her name.  
"Would you mind holding this bowl for me?" she asked, trying to make her feel included, as she still wasn't sure exactly why Wednesday was hanging around her.  
Wednesday nodded her head and took a small skip to join her mother. Morticia handed the bowl to her.  
After a full forkfuls of meat, Morticia spoke up, "Is there anything on your mind dear?" she asked, nonchalantly.  
Wednesday shook her head. Morticia nodded and resumed feeding her plant.

As the afternoon wore on Morticia made her way to the kitchen, intending to help Lurch with dinner.  
"Good evening Lurch," she said as she made her way into the kitchen, holding the door open for Wednesday, who was still right behind her.  
Lurch groaned in response. He stood, waiting for instructions as to what to prepare for dinner.  
"I was thinking of perhaps mincing the left over yak and horse we had last night and making a pie," said Morticia, with a finger to her chin.  
Wednesday stood with her finger to her own chin, she had been copying her mother's actions for the last hour or so.  
Lurch nodded and went to the fridge to fetch the ingredients. Morticia went to the cupboard under the bench to fetch the mincer, Wednesday followed.  
Morticia dragged the heavy contraption from the cupboard, "Wednesday darling, would you help me lift this onto the bench?"  
Wednesday nodded, and took one side. Morticia lifted the brunt of the mincer and they placed it on the bench.  
"Thank you darling," replied Morticia.  
Wednesday nodded again. Morticia frowned to herself slightly at the girl's silence.  
Lurch carried the plate of left over meat to them and dropped it unceremoniously into the mincer, a small spray of blood splashed out onto the bench.  
"Thank you Lurch," said Morticia, "would you mince that? Wednesday and I will prepare the pastry. Wednesday, would you please set the oven temperature to eight hundred, darling?"  
Morticia instructed Wednesday as to which ingredients they needed, and where to find them. Soon an array of ingredients were spread out across the work bench, including copious amounts of baking soda, ostrich eggs, and curdled yak's milk. Morticia showed Wednesday how to mix the ingredients and stirred the mixture, with Wednesday gripping onto the spoon to 'assist'.  
They rolled out the pastry and placed it into the pie dish.  
When that was done, Morticia pulled a tin off the shelf, full of horse teeth. She poured them into the dish.  
Morticia carried the dish over to the oven, shut her eyes, and placed it in, commencing the blind baking.  
"Lurch, can you finish up here?" asked Morticia.  
"Yes, Mrs. Addams," replied Lurch, with one slow nod.  
Morticia smiled at him and flowed out of the room. Wednesday followed.

Morticia made her way into the living room, with Wednesday close at her heels.  
Gomez and Pugsley were sitting together on the floor playing a game of marbles. As if he had sensed her presence, Gomez looked up from the game as his wife entered the room.  
"Querida!" he exclaimed, excited just to be looking at her.  
"Hello darling," she greeted him, "hello Pugsley."  
"Hi Mother, do you want to play marbles with us?" asked Pugsley.  
"Oh, no thank you," replied Morticia, "but I'll watch."  
With Wednesday's assistance she slid her chair around so she could sit and watch them.  
"Wednesday, would you like to play?" offered Pugsley.  
Wednesday shook her head and sat down at her mother's feet.  
Gomez looked up from the game to his daughter, "Are you sure Wednesday? We can start again?"  
Wednesday shook her head with more fervour.  
"Suit yourself," shrugged Pugsley.  
Morticia and Wednesday watched as Gomez, game after game, beat Pugsley.  
"Aww!" exclaimed Pugsley, after their fifth game, counting on his fingers, "that was the last of my fun money!"  
"Sorry son," apologised Gomez, "better luck next time," he slapped the boy sportingly on the back.  
"Wait! One more game, I think I can win it all back," said Pugsley.  
Gomez nodded and they set up a sixth game. Pugsley did, indeed, win five dollars back. Gomez came away with seventy five cents from his son.  
Lurch entered the room, "Dinner is served," he droned.  
Morticia stood up, with Wednesday scurrying to her feet after her. Gomez and Pugsley raced into the dining room, Morticia and Wednesday followed.

When they arrived at the dining room, Gomez was seated at the head of the table, and Pugsley in his usual chair near the other end. Morticia took her usual place at the table. Wednesday sat in Mama's seat, next to Morticia. Morticia looked bemused at her daughter. She shared a look with Gomez, who was slightly confused by the change of arrangements.  
Mama and Fester entered the room. Fester took his usual place, while Mama, with a baffled expression, took Wednesday's. Lurch brought the tray of food in, and began serving, with Thing passing out the cutlery to everyone.  
Lurch took a seat at the edge of the table and they all began to eat.  
Morticia broke the top off of her pie, Wednesday did the same. She lay it aside to allow the meat to cool, and began eating the dried pond weed salad beside it. Wednesday did the same. Dinner continued in this fashion.

After dinner everyone retired to the living room, where Lurch played on the harpsichord and the rest of the family went about their usual after dinner routine. Except for Wednesday, who was standing beside her mother, watching her knit.  
When eleven o'clock ticked past Gomez tapped Wednesday on the shoulder, telling her it was time for her to get ready for bed.  
Wednesday pouted, crossing her arms, tucking neither hand into the crook of her elbows. Morticia looked up from her knitting to see Gomez looked half ticked, half amused, and Wednesday looking defiant.  
Morticia lay her knitting neatly in her lap and addressed her daughter in a stern tone, "Wednesday, it's late, you should be in bed already, listen to your father."  
"Come on Wednesday," Gomez attempted to guide the girl away from her mother.  
Unfortunately, Wednesday was not easily swayed. Morticia frowned slightly and shared a look with Gomez.  
Morticia stood up, realising a solution to the problem, "Wednesday, would you like me to help you get ready?" she asked as she lay her knitting down on the seat of her chair.  
The pout instantly left Wednesday's face as she nodded.  
"All right darling, you only had to ask," said Morticia as she led the girl to the stairs.  
Gomez looked at Morticia, wondering whether he should follow her or not, Morticia looked back to him with a nod. Gomez followed them up the stairs.

Morticia and Wednesday went into the bathroom to run the bath. Gomez went to retrieve his daughter's pyjamas and sleeping cap.  
Morticia kneeled on the tiled floor as the girl undressed and stepped into the bath. Gomez returned with the folded garments.  
"Thank you darling," said Morticia as she stood up, she took them from him and placed them on the vanity.  
Morticia indicated to Gomez that she wanted to speak with him outside the room. He left.  
Morticia turned to Wednesday, who was sitting in the tub watching them. She walked over to the girl and leaned down as she delicately undid her long braids and placed the bands on the edge of the bath.  
"Make sure you wash your hair with that nice scented slime I bought for you," Morticia said as she stood.  
She shut the door behind her, noticing the betrayed look on her daughter's face as she left.

Morticia turned around and found herself facing her beloved husband.  
"Cara," he mumbled, taking in her beauty.  
"Later Gomez," replied Morticia, "I want to talk about Wednesday."  
Gomez nodded, "She has been a bit," he hesitated trying to think of the right word.  
"Very," agreed Morticia, "I wonder what could have gotten into her?"  
"She's been behind you all day," added Gomez.  
"Yes, perhaps we should have little talk with her," said Morticia.  
"Won't do any good, she hasn't said a word all day," Gomez paused, "has she?"  
"You're right," confirmed Morticia, "I tried talking to her this afternoon…"  
"I hope it's not catching," said Gomez.  
"That would be intriguing," added Morticia.  
"Mother?!" called Wednesday from the bathroom in an urgent whine.  
"She speaks!" said Gomez, with little enthusiasm to his exclamation, but more apprehension.  
"Coming dear," called Morticia in reply, she threw one last concerned look at her husband and went back into the room.

"What is it darling?" asked Morticia as she entered the room.  
"I got slime in my eye," sniffed Wednesday as she rubbed her eye.  
"Darling," said Morticia sympathetically, she took the girl's arm gently in her hands and pulled it away from her face. She dabbed her eye softly with a towel.  
"Thank you," whimpered Wednesday.  
"You're welcome darling," Morticia replied, observing the redness of her daughter's eye.  
She helped her to rinse the rest of the slime out of her hair.  
Morticia wrapped the girl in the large towel, which had to be folded in half so it didn't engulf her, and pulled the plug from the bath. She helped Wednesday into her night clothes as the water drained away.

They passed Pugsley in the hall, who was armed with his own sleeping garments and towel.  
"Good night darling," Morticia leaned over to kiss her son goodnight, "don't wash behind your ears," she reminded him.  
"I won't forget," he assured her, "Good night Mother, Night Wednesday."

Morticia guided her yawning daughter into her bedroom. She pulled back the covers on the bed and Wednesday clambered into them. Sitting down in the chair beside the bed, Morticia tucked the girl in tightly.  
"Wednesday?" she asked her, "is there anything you would like to talk to me about?"  
Wednesday looked up at the ceiling and sighed heavily, but refused to reply.  
"You've been so helpful to me today," Morticia tried again, "I appreciate that."  
"You're welcome," replied Wednesday softly.  
"But, wouldn't you rather play with your brother than hang out with your mother all day?" asked Morticia.  
"I have to hang out with you," replied Wednesday.  
Morticia frowned slightly, "Why is that dear?" she asked.  
"I've got to practice for when I'm married," replied Wednesday.  
Morticia smiled, "Darling, that's a while away yet, you should be inside playing now."  
"But you married Father just after yet met him, and I've been going steady with my boyfriend for four whole days now," reasoned Wednesday.  
"Wednesday, you're too young to be married just now, your father and I were adults when we met," replied Morticia gently, then she stopped, "boyfriend?"  
"Yes," replied Wednesday, "Woodrow."  
"Woodrow," repeated Morticia, musing, "and when will your father and I get to see him?"  
"You won't."  
"Why not?" asked Morticia.  
"Because," answered Wednesday, "he's the invisible man's son. So he's invisible too."  
''Oh. I see," replied Morticia.  
"Mother?" asked Wednesday.  
"Yes darling?"  
"It's his birthday soon, and I was wondering if you could knit him something?" asked Wednesday.  
"Of course I will darling," replied Morticia.  
She kissed her daughter on the head, as she stood up, "Good night."  
"Goodnight," Wednesday paused as Morticia reached for the light switch, "Mother?"  
Morticia turned around.  
"Can I invite Woodrow over tomorrow?" asked Wednesday, hesitantly.  
"Of course you may darling," Morticia switched off the light, "goodnight Wednesday."

There was no reply, Morticia looked back to her daughter. She had fallen asleep.


End file.
